Caring For Your New Tattoo

Well, you have already made the decision on a tattoo design and you have endured the pain of the session. Now you need to make sure that you do everything that you possibly can in order to care for your brand new tattoo. After all, proper care can help prolong the beauty of your new tattoo and keep it looking wonderful for years to come. With all of the money that you spent to get it done, the least you can do for yourself is make sure that you do your absolute best to care for it and protect it during the healing process.

It goes without saying that a tattoo is basically a wound on your body that needs to be cared for. Without proper care, not only can you loose the vibrancy and detail of the design but you could also run the risk of infection. There are a few standard tips and tricks that you can arm yourself with in order to help you properly care for your fresh tattoo and help it heal quickly.

If your tattoo artist placed some gauze or a bandage on your tattoo before you left the shop, then he or she put it on there for a reason. A good rule of thumb is to leave it on for a couple of hours after you get the tattoo, or even overnight if you happen to be close to bedtime once you are finished. Just as with any wound, a bandage will help to keep out any dirt or bacteria for the first couple of hours. Then you will need to clean it and let the tattoo breathe.

Once you remove the bandage, you will notice that some of the outline or color has transferred out of the tattoo. Do not worry as this is quite normal to ooze a bit after you get your tattoo. With clean hands, you can now cleanse your tattoo gently to wash away any excess gunk that has formed in order to make sure that you have a clean slate to work with when applying the ointment.

You may have purchased one of the tattoo ointments or aftercare products offered at the tattoo shop that you visited. If not, you can use a vitamin based ointment or cream to help you heal your tattoo. When applying, make sure you only use a thin layer with clean hands. This will help to keep your tattoo from itching and excessively peeling during the healing process.